Thirty-Seventh Hex - [Voice/Action]

[hisdarkmark]

[Hi Luceti. Today if you happen to be walking anywhere in the village, you might notice an overenthusiastic malamute attached to a leash. At the other end of said-leash is a rather disgruntled British wizard, more or less glaring at the dog as he's dragged along.

Stupid Arumat. Of course he had to disappear and shoulder him with the responsibility of yet another life. It was strange knowing that the man, the last original housemate, was officially gone. Not necessarily sad, though there was a hollow feeling he hadn't been able to shake off ever since he'd realized what had happened.

He didn't get much time to reflect on it though, seeing how the malamute has been working him. On their walk today, the dog's busy barking at pretty much everything, trying to pull Draco in all directions to sniff all the things.]

Gods, you're obnoxious, aren't you?

[He wraps the leash around his wrist to make it a tighter hold, using his free hand to make a grab for his journal while Edge is still pulling him along.]

I can't believe I'm asking this...

Dog training. What do any of you know of it? Time's a factor here, I'm half-tempted to toss him into the lake at this point.

[Later in the day, in fact, he will be at the lake. His lake. The South Lake. Edge the Malamute seems to have calmed down, but Draco's sitting up and a bit on edge. His wand's in front of him, and he seems to be concentrating.]

Expecto Patronum. [Nothing.] ...Expecto Patronum! [Still nothing. A frustrated sigh later and he's back to consulting Luceti as a whole. Though the journal's in his hands, he's hesitating for a moment. It'd be much easier if Hermione were still here, but she's not. That's a fact. She won't be returning anytime soon, so he'll have to make do with the resources he has.]

...second question for the lot of you. When do you reckon it's appropriate to give up on something?

Comments

[lostinmyway]

Hmm.... I don't think so. What are they like?

[hisdarkmark]

Arumat's an alien and a soldier. He liked to remind everyone just how tough he was, but he has soft spots if you know how to hit them just right. He was from the same universe as my friend Myuria. She's been gone for years though.

[lostinmyway]

[Grune being Grune, she has no trouble accepting that Draco is friends with an alien. All she says in response to that is:] Well, then, that must mean they'll both be coming back soon.

[hisdarkmark]

How soon do you reckon soon is though? Years, Grune. There are people that have disappeared ages ago that I'm still waiting on.

[lostinmyway]

["Years" should seem like a long time to her, but for some reason, it doesn't. Still, it looks as though it's been a very long time for Draco, and that's the most important part.]

Then maybe that means they'll come back as soon as tomorrow. I'm sure they must be trying very hard.

[hisdarkmark]

...that's the thing. I'm not sure they are trying. How would you know?

[lostinmyway]

[She thinks about that for a moment.]

Well...you can ask them when they get here.

[hisdarkmark]

...nothing ever really deters you, does it, Grune?

[lostinmyway]

[Instead of giving the answer he might expect, Grune is quiet for a moment.]

Everything always works out for the best. Sometimes, it takes a little while. But it's important to remember that when you're waiting, so you won't be sad.

[And that's just about the closest she'll come to admitting that the disappearances affect her, too.]

[hisdarkmark]

[...it's a good answer, and it causes him to quiet for a bit himself before he responds.]

...okay. Okay, I'll try to remember.

[lostinmyway]

[She nods, mostly to herself.]

That's good. If you remember that, then you won't be so sad.

[And then, unless his reflexes are good, Draco will be getting a hug.]